Pole climber



Aug. 22, 1950 R. J. MILLER POLE CLIIIBER Filed Sept. 25, 1948 INVENTOR ROBERT J. MILLER W I 4 FIG. 2,

ATTORNEY being inserted (dot-and-dash lines) Patented Aug. 22, 1,950

Robert J. Miller, Franklin, Pa.

. Application September 25, 1948, Serial No. 51,149

8 Claims. (01. 227-27) This invention relates topole climbers of the type having a removable gaff and a shank portion longitudinally adjustable for different leg lengths.

The prime object of the invention is to provide a-climber ofthetype indicated in which the gaff may be readily interchanged and locked in po-. sition without the use of special tools.

An allied object isto provide agaff locking means which will operate positively to lock the gafi in position. Another object is to provide a gafi locking means which can be, readily manipulated to free the gall orto lock. it in position. Another important object is to provide means for adjusting the leg length of the shank of the climber, which will be positive in action and yet easy to operate in adjusting the shank. V For the attainment of theforegoing and such other objectsas may, appear or be pointed out herein, Lhave shown a preferred embodiment .tire climber, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

the gafi being omitted;

Fig. Bis a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 2 but showing only a portion of the climber, the

gaff being shown both in place (solid lines) and Fig. 4 is a rear view of the gaff, that is, as

from the rearorleft of the climber, Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation similar to Fig. 3, also showing the wedge being inserted; A

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the wedge;

p iti i...

Fig. 8 isa transverse-section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 1; and

5, Fig. 9 is a cross section through the gafi taken online 9-9 of Fig. 3 I g The improved climber comprises a shank or leg portion ill and a foot'or stirrup portion 20. It will, be understood that the stirrup 20 is fitted between the heel and sole of the users shoe, with the shank 10 adjacent his leg. The climber is secured to the legv by ,strapsboth atthe shank portion and. stirrup or foot portion IB.. The end of stirrup lllis formed as a loop l6 for the Fig. '7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the. wedge fully inserted to home be accommodated for different leg lengths, the

upper portion of the shank is made longitudinally adjustable. That is, the strap loops 2|, 22 are not secured to shank portion 2|! but to a shank slide 23 which is slidably mounted on shank 20.

Shank slide 23 is formed of a flat front plate 24 and a body plate 25 which is shaped to form with flat front plate 24, the trapezium hollow shape shown in Fig. 8. As there shown, and also in Fig. 1, the edges of the body plate 25 are turned inwardly to form flanges 25*, over the front fiat plate 24. The shape of shank slide 23 is such that it is snugly fitted over the shank 2B, which is (see especially Fig. 8) channel-shaped with outwardly spread legs 20, 20'. Front plate 24 is provided with a pair of opposed portions 26, 26 (Fig. 1) which are formed to provide ears for the strap loops 2!, 22.

Shank slide 23 may thus be slid along shank 20 to extend or shorten the efiective length of the shank or leg portion of the climber. Slide 23 may be secured in any adjusted position by means of a small screw bolt 1 having a flat head which may be screwed in a tapped hole (Fig. 2) provided in a thickened boss 28 of the shank 20. Flat plate 24 has a plurality of holes 21, (Fig. 1) through which bolt 1 may be inserted, these holes being countersunk to neatly receive the flat head of the bolt. Thus, by selecting the proper one of the holes 21'and inserting bolt 1 therein for screwing engagement in tapped hole 28, the shank or leg portion of the climber may be adjusted to the proper length.

The gaff 30 of the improved climber is separately shown in Fig. 4, but its shape may be best described with reference to either one of Figs. 3, 5, 7. From the latter figure it will be seen that gaff 30 has what might be termed a girth portion 3| which is'that portion of the gafi having the greatest cross section or girth; this cross-section of girth 3| is shown in Fig. 9. It presents a fiat inside edge 32; by inside is meant that, when the gaff is in position on the climber (as in Fig. 5) this edge or side 32 of the gafi faces inwardly or toward the leg or shoe of the user. The outer edge of the gaff at girth 3! (Fig. 9) is curved as shown at 34, while the two sides 33 are flat or straight. The blade 35 of the gaff extends downwardly from its girth portion BI and is tapered both in an inside-outside sense (Fig. '7) and frontally (Fig. 4) towards a point as shown in both figures.

Extending upwardly from its girth portion 3!,

the gaif has ajtang 36, the sides 33* are flat like the sides 33, 33 at. the girth 3|, see Fig. 9, but

7 surface of the climber.

which taper towards one another upwardly as shownin Fig. 4, so that the tip 3! of the tang 36 is somewhat narrower than girth 3! of the gaff ill. The inside (defined as above) of tang 36 is contoured, when in place in the climber, as in Fig. 5, to the inside contour of the climber, except its tip end 31, Fig. 5, is slightly tapered at 31 The outside of tank 36, on the other hand, is shaped entirely different from the .outside contour of the climber. In the first place, it will be observed, best'from Fig. 5, that the tip 3'! of tang 36 presents a flat facet 3'! which, when the gaff is in position, as it i in said figure, facet 31 will be substantially flush with the outside It will also be observed that this facet 31' is substantially on the same line (plane) as the outside of gafi blade 8'5,*which, as described above, is tapered from the inside towards the outside (as defined above).

Between tip facet 3"!" and girth 3], tang 35 is recessed atits '-outsi'de""tofor-m a-nextended recess 38 (see Fig. 3) a limited recess or 'groove i ii, so as to present a ridge 3? between groove 3-9 and the exten-ded'recess 38 which extends 'f-rom' ridge 39 to top facet 31".

"-Thel'ower portion of shank it is provided with openings, recesses andthe like for receiving'g-aff so. In the first place, shankZB is provided with an opening 11 near the stirrup H) of the climber which Opening extends through the web is of the channel-shapeds'ha-nk, As best seen -in Fig.

through web ill of the climber. Opening l-l 'has fiat sides I3, ,I 3 which taper inward-1y from open- .ing ll upwardly, as flbest seen in Fig. 1, which taper corresponds to that of s the sides '3 a "33 of the gaif '(seeFig.'4). 'I'ip ti of the ga'fi, which .is narrower than "its girth 3;! and the opening 11, inserted therein, (see Fig. 3, where it is shown in dot-'and-dash lines in its preliminary position) and pushed'upwardly. Shank 2B is providedwith a second (smaller) hole 11 spa'cedupwardly from the first-mentioned 'opening H,

oriented outwardly (as defined above) through "web it of the climber. As the gaff inserted first through larger, lower opening H, 'is pushed upwardly, tip 37 of its'tang "315 is receive'din upper, smaller hole 117. Iogui'de tip 31 into hole if, the web l of the shank is provided with 'a .lip 11* disposed at the upper'limit of hole it and 'in home position, with facet I31 o'fthe gaff tip flush with the outside surface of the shank portion, rib is of the climber will have been received in groove 38 of the gaff. I

To lock the gaif 30 in this positionyuse is made of a small wedge piece 46, Fig. 6, which has a :fiatinside face 49" as defined above) and likewise a fiat outside face 48. The inside face 49 'is tapered, 49", to a narrow leading edge, and

the leadingportion is recessed at 1 "to provide two leading tip 46, 4% narrow in thickness and width. Wedge piece RE! is inserted, after the gaff is in place, as described, into the lower opening,

more particularly between the inside surface 32 of the gaff and the edge l5 of opening H (see Figs. 5 and 2). Edge piece 40 is shown in Fig. 5 as it is being inserted, with its face 49 on the inside (as defined above). It is shown in Fig. '7, fully pushed home; it will be seen from this figure that the inside face 49 of the wedge is tapered, at 49*, so that it will conform to the contour of the inside of the climber. It will be nctedFtgs. 5 or "7, that 'side if: of the gaff opening is substantially parallel to the inside surface 32 of the gaff, so that wedge or key 40 can be easily inserted in place and guided between 32., t5.

Wedge piece or key 40 is tapered outwardly from its rear end 4| to its leading tips 46, 46, as clearly seen in Fig. 6.

Key or wedge piece 48 is made of dead soft anneal steel so that it can be deformed without too great force. As the key is forced into place, its leading tips 4%, 46am --comp'ressed*-towar-d each-other to firmly grip the key in place, this locking the gaff in the =ciimber. The wedge or key is driven "home without the use-of any special tool, a screw-driver and hammer being sufilcieift. The key may be driven t-ure' with the stirrup portion oriented downwardly through the Weber" "the 'c'hannel and an upper, smalle hole openingoutwardly-'dircugh the web,

"a'gaif having a girth portion presenting a flat "inside surface and hat sides, 'a blade tapered downwardly from-saidgirth-portien'and a tang tapering upwardly from said girth portion to a narrowtip, said-tipoutwardlypresenting a fiat facet, th'e'flangespfsaid shank" channel tapering upwardly from said lowerfopenin'g to narrow the channel at said upper hole, the tang being inserted thiougiith'e lower 'openingto present its said'tipfacet through the upper hole and substantially flushwith th'e outside :surface'of the shank, said tanghaving "a transverse groove near saidfg'irth portion of the gait, the web of the shank channel having a transverse rib at its said lower opening, said rib being received in said groove "of the gait, when inserted as aforesaid, the edge of the lower opening adjacent the's't'i'rrup portion presenting a flat surface substantially parallel tofsaid fiatinside surface of the gafi girth, and akey having parallel 'flat surfaces inserted in said lower opening between said flat insidesurfatce of thega'fi "girthand said fiat sur e face edge of the lower opening.

2. The cfimber'ac'cordmg to'claim 1 wherein said shank is provided with an inclined lip at the upper edge ofsaid upper holeto guide the :gaif tip ther'ethrough.

3. In .a climber, 'the'combination of a body member having'ashank portion and a stirrup portion, saidshank'portion being channel-shaped and provided with al-ower opening near the juncture with the stirrup portion oriented downwardly through the web of the channel and an upper, small-er hole opening outwardly through the web, 'agaff having agirth portion'presenting'a fiat inside surface and flat sides, a blade tapered downwardly from said girth portion, and a tang 1 tapering upwardly from said 'girthporti'on to a narrow tip, the flanges of said shank channel tapering upwardly from said lower opening to narrow the channel at said upper hole, the tang being inserted through the lower opening to present its said tip through the upper hole, said tang having a transverse groove near said girth portion of the gaff, the web of the shank channel having a transverse rib at its said lower open ing, said rib being received in said groove of the gaff when inserted as aforesaid, the edge of the lower opening adjacent the stirrup portion presenting a flat surface substantially parallel to said fiat inside surface of the gaff girth, and a key having parallel fiat surfaces inserted in said lower opening between said flat inside surface of the gaff girth and said flat surface edge of the lower opening.

4. The climber according to claim 3 wherein the inside fiat surface of the key is beveled to conform, when fully inserted as aforesaid, with the inside contour of the climber.

5. The climber according to claim 4 wherein the upper portion of the key including its said bevel is centrally recessed to present a pair of thinned and narrowed tips.

6. The climber according to claim 5 wherein said key is made of soft annealed steel whereby its said tips are deformed when inserted as aforesaid, to lock the gaff in place.

7. In a climber, the combination of a body member having a shank portion and a stirrup portion, said shank portion being channel-shaped and provided with a lower opening near the juncture with the stirrup portion oriented downwardly through the web of the channel and an upper, smaller hole opening outwardly through the web, a gaff having a girth portion presenting a flat inside surface and flat sides, a blade tapered downwardly from said girth portion, and a tang tapering upwardly from said girth portion to a narrow tip, the flanges of said shank channel tapering upwardly from said lower opening to narrow the channel at said upper hole, the tang being inserted through the lower opening to present its said tip through the upper hole, said tang having a transverse groove near said girth portion of the gaff, the web of the shank channel having a transverse rib at its said lower opening, the rib being received in said groove Of the gaff when inserted as aforesaid, and a key having parallel flat surfaces inserted in said lower opening to lock the gaff in place.

8. In a climber, the combination of a body member having a shank portion and a stirrup portion, said shank portion being channel-shaped and provided with a lower opening near the juncture with the stirrup portion oriented downwardly through the web of the channel and an upper, smaller hole opening outwardly through the web, a gaff having a girth portion presenting a fiat inside surface and flat sides, a blade tapered downwardly from said girth portion, and a tang tapering upwardly from said girth portion to a narrow tip, the flanges of said shank channel tapering upwardly from said lower opening to narrow the channel at said upper hole, the tang being inserted through the lower opening to present its said tip through the upper hole, said tang having a transverse groove near said girth portion of the gaff, the web of the shank channel having a transverse rib at its said lower opening, the rib being received in the groove of the gaff when inserted as aforesaid.

ROBERT J. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 494,208 Knight Mar. 28, 1893 613,007 Howard Oct. 25, 1898 620,741 Cole Mar. 7, 1899 938,905 Speerstra Nov. 2, 1909 1,606,025 Gruendler Nov. 9, 1926 1,956,852 Brooks May 1, 1934: 

